Officials in China have
ordered organizers of the mainland's first gay pride festival
to cancel two of their events, reports the BBC. The directive
concerns a play and a film screening planned for the
celebration in Shanghai, which got under way on Sunday and
lasts throughout this week.
Officials in China have
ordered organizers of the mainland's first gay pride festival
to cancel two of their events, reports the
BBC
. The directive concerns a play and a film screening planned
for the celebration in Shanghai, which got under way on Sunday
and lasts throughout this week.
Festival organizers
were confused by the order, which arrived on the heels of
state-run media calling the festival an event of "profound
significance," and highlighting the tolerance of Shanghai,
the largest city in China.
Homosexuality was
illegal in China until 1997, and it was officially considered a
mental illness until 2001. Mindful of the slow-changing
attitudes, pride festival organizers decided in advance not to
hold an all-out parade for fear of provoking authorities.
Now, given the
cancellation of the play and film, organizers are expressing
anxiety about the fate of their remaining roster of low-key
events. Calls to officials for more information have gone
unanswered.
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